This invention relates generally to an apparatus for orienting and delivering condoms adapted for use in combination with other apparatus which require delivery of successive condoms all oriented in the same manner and configuration for testing or other purposes. In particular, the invention relates to such devices which utilize suction means to orient and deliver the condoms.
Individual condoms must be tested prior to packaging and sale to determine whether the condom is free of minute holes. Typically, this is done by hand loading each condom onto a properly shaped metal mandrel and exposing the condom to an electrical field. Current will pass through any hole in the condom, thereby indicating that the condom is defective and should be rejected. The hand loading of condoms is very slow. There are currently no known apparatus for automatic loading of the condoms onto the mandrels, since until this invention no one has solved the problem of being able to rapidly orient and deliver a large number of condoms.
An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which is able to successively deliver a large number of condoms which have been properly oriented for placement onto the testing mandrels. A further object is to provide such an apparatus which is capable of properly orienting the condoms no matter the configuration or orientation with which the condoms are presented to the apparatus. It is a further object to provide such an apparatus which utilizes suction means to orient and deliver the condoms.